Volvo V60 Cross Country Review?

If you want a brand-new small wagon in America this year, the Volvo V60 Cross Country isn’t just a good option — it’s the only one left, and 2026 is its last chance to prove it.

TL;DR

• The 2026 Volvo V60 Cross Country is the last small wagon sold new in the US, with Volvo confirming production ends after this model year.
• It uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged mild-hybrid four-cylinder making 247 hp, paired with an 8-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive.
• Two trims: Plus starting at $52,300 and Ultra at $57,600, plus a $1,195 destination fee.
• The high-performance V60 Recharge plug-in hybrid (Polestar Engineered) has already been discontinued — the Cross Country is now the only V60 you can buy new.
• With 8.1–8.3 inches of ground clearance, hill-descent control, and an off-road mode, it splits the difference between a traditional wagon and a compact SUV without fully becoming either.

If you’re cross-shopping the V60 Cross Country against a compact luxury SUV like the Audi Q5 or BMW X3, the honest take is: it drives more like a car and hauls nearly as much as those SUVs, but this is genuinely your last opportunity to buy this specific formula new — Volvo hasn’t confirmed any wagon replacement.

What Is the Volvo V60 Cross Country, and Why Does 2026 Matter?

The V60 Cross Country is Volvo’s raised, all-weather wagon — essentially a V60 wagon lifted for extra ground clearance and dressed with protective black cladding, positioned as a genuine alternative to compact SUVs rather than a direct wagon-vs-SUV competitor. For 2026, it’s largely a carryover model: the same proven 2.0-liter turbo engine, standard AWD, and two-trim lineup (Plus and Ultra) that’s defined the car for the past several years.

What’s changed is the bigger picture. Volvo has confirmed 2026 is the final model year for the V60 nameplate in the US, with production ending this year and no confirmed wagon replacement announced. The higher-performance V60 Recharge (badged Polestar Engineered in its final years), which paired the same basic platform with a 455-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain, was already discontinued after limited 2024/2025 inventory sold through — leaving the Cross Country as the only V60 variant still available new.

Quick Tip: If the idea of buying “the last of something” appeals to you, this is a genuine case of it — Volvo’s CEO has suggested wagons could return in some future form, but nothing concrete has been confirmed, so treat this as your realistic last chance at a new one for the foreseeable future.

V60 Cross Country Powertrain and Specs

Every 2026 V60 Cross Country uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain, making 247 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive. Volvo rates combined fuel economy at 23 mpg city / 31 highway / 26 combined.

Ground clearance sits at 8.1–8.3 inches depending on source, well above a standard sedan, aided by hill-descent control and a dedicated off-road driving mode. Maximum towing capacity is 2,000 lbs, respectable for this vehicle class though modest compared with a genuine SUV or truck. Cargo space runs 18.3 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to roughly 60 cubic feet with seats folded — more than most compact sedans, if less than a comparably sized SUV.

Expert Insight: The 247-hp powertrain is “more than adequate” rather than genuinely sporty, according to independent road tests — this is a comfort-and-confidence vehicle first, not a performance wagon, now that the more powerful Polestar Engineered version is gone.

V60 Cross Country vs. the Competition

The V60 Cross Country’s core pitch against these rivals has always been driving dynamics: a lower center of gravity gives it more car-like handling than taller SUV competitors, at some cost to outright cargo volume.

Pros and Cons by Buyer Type

The wagon loyalist who refuses to buy an SUV

• ✅ The only new small wagon left on the US market, full stop
• ✅ Lower center of gravity delivers more confident, car-like handling than comparable SUVs
• ❌ Less outright cargo volume than similarly priced compact SUVs

The all-weather commuter who wants genuine capability without going full off-road

• ✅ Standard AWD, 8+ inches of ground clearance, and hill-descent control cover most snow and light trail conditions
• ✅ Comprehensive standard driver-assist suite, including adaptive cruise and automatic emergency braking
• ❌ 2,000-lb towing capacity is modest if you need to haul anything substantial

The Volvo loyalist who wanted the plug-in hybrid version

• ✅ The remaining Cross Country still shares its core platform and interior with the departed Recharge model
• ❌ The 455-hp Polestar Engineered plug-in hybrid is gone — this is your only new-V60 option now, and it’s gas-only

A Real-World Scenario

Picture a family in a snowy climate who wants genuine winter confidence without giving up car-like handling for a daily commute and highway road trips. The V60 Cross Country’s standard AWD and raised ride height handle unplowed roads and light trail access to a cabin or trailhead, while its lower stance and Volvo’s typically well-regarded seats make the daily grind more comfortable than a taller, choppier-riding SUV.

According to Autoblog’s 2026 review, the V60 Cross Country is now genuinely the only vehicle of its specific type left on the market — even the Audi A4 Allroad, long its closest direct rival, has been discontinued.

Trims and Pricing

The Plus trim starts at $52,300 (plus $1,195 destination) and includes leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and the full standard driver-assist suite. A $1,600 package adds 19-inch wheels and Harman Kardon audio — widely cited by reviewers as a strong value upgrade.

The Ultra trim starts at $57,600 and adds four-zone climate control, ventilated Nappa leather, an Orrefors crystal gear shifter, a head-up display, and 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio, with an optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system available.

Quick Tip: If budget is the deciding factor, reviewers consistently point to the Plus trim with the 19-inch wheel/audio package as the sweet spot — most of the experience Ultra buyers pay a premium for, at meaningfully lower cost.

Alternatives Worth Cross-Shopping

Choose the Volvo XC60 if you want a similar Volvo interior and driving experience with more outright cargo space and a body style Volvo plans to keep building well beyond 2026.

Choose a used Volvo V60 Recharge if you specifically want the discontinued 455-hp plug-in hybrid version — it’s no longer sold new, but used examples are available and share this car’s core platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 2026 really the last year for the Volvo V60? Yes. Volvo has confirmed the V60 nameplate, including the Cross Country, ends US production after the 2026 model year, with no wagon replacement currently confirmed.

Can I still get a plug-in hybrid V60? Not new. The V60 Recharge (Polestar Engineered) plug-in hybrid was discontinued after limited 2024/2025 inventory; the Cross Country is now the only new V60 available, and it’s gas-only.

How much does a 2026 Volvo V60 Cross Country cost? The Plus trim starts at $52,300 and the Ultra trim at $57,600, both plus a $1,195 destination fee.

How much can the V60 Cross Country tow? Up to 2,000 lbs when properly equipped — useful for light trailers but modest compared with a truck or larger SUV.

Is the V60 Cross Country good in snow? Yes — standard all-wheel drive, 8+ inches of ground clearance, and an off-road driving mode give it genuine confidence in snow and light unpaved conditions, a core part of its appeal versus a standard sedan.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 V60 Cross Country is the last new small wagon available in the US, with Volvo confirming the nameplate’s discontinuation after this model year.
• It’s essentially a carryover model: the same 247-hp mild-hybrid powertrain, two-trim lineup, and raised, all-weather-capable stance as recent years.
• The higher-performance plug-in hybrid Recharge/Polestar Engineered version is already gone, leaving the gas-only Cross Country as the sole new V60 option.
• The Plus trim with the 19-inch wheel/audio package is widely considered the strongest value in the lineup.
• No wagon replacement has been confirmed, so this is a genuine “last chance” purchase if the body style matters to you.

Ready to shop? If you want this specific formula new, 2026 inventory is your realistic last opportunity — check current dealer stock before the model year sells out.

Editor Notes (not for publication)

Important framing note: Unlike the S60, S90 Recharge, and V60 Recharge articles earlier in this series, the V60 Cross Country is still a live, current-model-year new-car purchase as of this writing (July 2026) — not a discontinued-model used-buying guide. I framed this article as a standard new-car review with a prominent “last model year” urgency angle, rather than pivoting fully to used-market framing like the other recently discontinued Volvo sedans/wagons. This distinction matters for the CTA and tone; confirm this framing matches editorial intent, since it’s a different content type than the last three Volvo pieces even though it’s part of the same broader “Volvo wagon/sedan wind-down” story arc.

Source provenance:

• Discontinuation timeline (2026 is final MY, no confirmed replacement, CEO has floated wagon return): Autoblog’s 2026 review and US News’s 2026 review — both are professional editorial outlets independently making the same claim (“2026 is the V60’s last rodeo” / “the only car of its type left on the market”), giving high confidence via independent corroboration.
• Powertrain specs (247 hp, 258 lb-ft, 23/31/26 mpg): consistent across TrueCar, Autoblog, CarBuzz, and Cars.com — high confidence, fully corroborated.
• Ground clearance: flagging a minor source discrepancy — TrueCar/US News cite 8.1 inches, while CarWeek cites 8.3 inches. Used the range “8.1–8.3 inches” in the article body rather than picking one figure, since this is a minor enough variance it doesn’t affect the buying decision but shouldn’t be stated as a single precise number given the conflict.
• Pricing (Plus $52,300 / Ultra $57,600 + $1,195 destination): corroborated across TrueCar, CarBuzz, and CarWeek — high confidence. Note one lower-confidence source (a dealer SEO page, buyorleasenewcars.com) cited slightly different figures ($50,300/$55,800); deprioritized that source in favor of the three converging figures.
• Trim feature details (Nappa leather, Orrefors shifter, Bowers & Wilkins audio option): sourced from Autoblog and a dealer marketing page (McLaughlin Volvo) used only for feature corroboration, not as a primary source for claims requiring independent verification.

Excluded sources: Deprioritized buyorleasenewcars.com, which read as thin, templated SEO content with repetitive phrasing and internally inconsistent formatting (e.g., garbled transmission description) — used only where its claims independently matched higher-quality sources.

Revision recommendation: This article has a hard expiration relevance-wise — once the 2026 model year sells out and Volvo confirms final production numbers, this should be revised to reflect that the V60 is now fully discontinued (matching the framing already used in the V60 Recharge article) rather than “in its final year.”